¹ eliminate | the soldier game trio ✓

"Electrifying"

"This way, please."

Shuji led Nico through the gates of Akihabara National Park, holding her small hand in his, pulling her very close to him, as if afraid to lose her in the domineering trees that towered overhead.

"Shuji-san, I think I can walk perfectly fine without you guiding me."

He blushed awkwardly and let go of her hand, rubbing his nape in slight embarrassment while moving away from her sheepishly.

"So-Sorry, Nico. There could be dangerous life out here. It is a national park, after all. Japanese wolves once resided here."

The way that he behaved was so different from Maki's, gentleness combined with strict authority. Maki was more of the protective kind; just throw in some "tsundereness", and you have Nico's beloved redhead.

Well, not as if it mattered. 

Once she was back with Maki, she would leave his side.

"There's no need for that. I can look after myself."

She walked ahead of him, her nose in the air.

She herself was quite the tsundere.

Then, she opened her aggressive pink eyes and turned to face him again.

"By the way, I didn't give you permission to address me informally."

"So-Sorry..."

What's up with him? 

He was acting so uptight, a different face from the one he wore when he first approached her, where was the brave front he put on earlier?

He had somehow broken down after she had condemned his thoughts about Maki.

And to be honest, she felt slightly guilty.

The boy's friends were killed and they believed that it was Maki who was involved, she couldn't blame him for thinking so negatively about her.

Probably he's just broken, lost and horrified by his friends' deaths.

Once, she was too.

Broken, lost and horrified to discover Maki missing.

She continued walking, aware of his shrinking presence behind her and she was tempted to stop and offer to walk with him.

But her pride would never allow her to do that.

"Where are we going, Shuji-san?"

She finally pushed her ego low enough to muster that out, and the brunette boy looked her curiously in the eye.

"Nowhere. I have no idea where she is. You know, right?"

"N-No...No I don't...I just suggested that we come here, because she just likes being here, how would I know where she is? I thought you knew, from the tip-off."